Chaos Breaks Out At Republican National Convention After Anti-Trump Activists Spurned

Convention Floor Erupts After GOP Officials Deny Anti-Trump Activists’ Efforts To Unbind Delegates. Turmoil broke out on the floor of the Republican National Convention (RNC) after Republican leaders, led by RNC presiding official Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), blocked an attempt by anti-Trump activists to unbind convention delegates. Rep. Womack led a voice vote denying anti-Trump delegates an opportunity to unbind delegates and “declared the rules approved and attempted to move on,” leading to disorder and outbursts on the convention floor. [Politico, 7/18/16]

Fox News Spins The Disarray As “Democracy At It’s Best”

Fox Business’ Stuart Varney: “I Don’t Think It’s A Car Wreck. I Think It Is High Drama.” Fox Business host Stuart Varney downplayed the chaotic scene on the convention floor, saying, “I don't think it's a car wreck. I think it is high drama injected on day one of the Republican convention.” From the July 18 edition of Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto:

STUART VARNEY (HOST): Julie, come in please, you don't expect anything like this next week, do you?

[...]

JULIE ROGINSKY: This is going to the core of who you want your nominee to be this week, which, to me, is unreal. And if you say this is good and good for democracy, listen, that's great but you're saying this is entertainment. This is like a car wreck. The fact you have the eyes of the nation turned to the Republican convention at a time when you're trying to display unity, you could try to put lipstick on a pig, but the reality is, this does not look good for the undecided voters out there who need -- Donald Trump needs to support him. This shows that there's a weakness and fracturing within the Republican Party.

[...]

VARNEY: We just heard it said by Julie that this is a car wreck. Bret Baier, I don't think it's a car wreck. I think it is high drama injected on day one of the Republican convention. [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 7/18/16]

Fox Contributor Rick Grenell: This Is “Democracy At Its Best” And “Just A Little Drama.” Fox contributor Rick Grenell spun the convention chaos as “just a little drama,” saying, “this is democracy working. ” From the July 18 edition of Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto:

STUART VARNEY (HOST): Rick Grenell, it looks at this moment as if the senator behind the microphone, John Barrasso, Republican, Wyoming, it looks like he re-established control and as James Rosen was saying, steamrolled on and the convention proceeds. Looks like the demonstration, the disruption has quieted down at least for now. Am I right, Rick? Because you're right there.

RICK GRENELL: Yeah I think you're right Stuart. But here -- look, this is democracy working. We're watching it as it's unfolding, and the point to make here is that Ted Cruz and his people did not get enough states to call for a roll call vote. That's just a fact. So I don't think that the chair is steamrolling at all.

[...]

I think that what's happening here is democracy at its best, and the Trump people will absolutely come out of this and Trump will be the nominee. It's just a little drama. [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 7/18/16]

Fox Guest Allen West: “People Definitely Like The Sensationalism” Of The Convention Chaos. Fox guest and NRA board member Allen West said that it’s “absolutely right” that the convention floor chaos is entertaining, and that “people definitely like the sensationalism” because they “don’t like rubber stamping.” West also said, “this is about democracy being in action.” From the July 18 edition of Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto:

STUART VARNEY (HOST): Allen West, this brings alive a political convention, is giving it the life that we have not seen in conventions for many, many years. It is also to some degree entertaining and people will watch this. Allen?



ALLEN WEST: You're absolutely right. People definitely like the sensationalism and we don't like the rubber stamping, like Julie just talked about. Normally you show up and this thing is just a big production and it's all about stagecraft. But Rick was right. This is about democracy being in action, this is about process and procedure being brought forward, and again, I will say that it is incumbent, and it will continue to be incumbent upon the presumptive nominee to gain the trust and confidence of all of the Republicans that are represented here so that he can go forward in the general election with that wind behind his back, and it is clear that he has to be able to come out and reassert himself. [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 7/18/16]

Fox’s Howard Kurtz: “I’m In The Arena And Sure Doesn’t Feel Like ‘Chaos.’”

I'm in the arena and sure doesn't feel like “chaos,” as some news outlets reporting. Party easily won roaring voice vote on rules package

— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]

Right-Wing Media Figures Blast RNC Leadership Over “Unbelievable Soviet Bullshit”

Conservative Blogger Allahpundit: “What Unbelievable Soviet Bullshit.”

What unbelievable Soviet bullshit https://t.co/UTn4mLF2LU

— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]

Right-Wing Radio Host Steve Deace: “This May Be The First Time The Other Party’s Nominee Gets The Post-Convention Boost.”

This may be the first time the other party's nominee gets the post-convention boost.

— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]

NY Times’ Ross Douthat: “Fitting That [Senator] Mike Lee … Would Be Last Politician Standing Against Authoritarian Populism.”

Fitting that Mike Lee, one of few Rs to attempt constructive populism, would be last R politician standing against authoritarian populism.

— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]

TownHall’s Guy Benson: Floor Drama Was “An Ugly, Opaque, Televised Spectacle.”

(5) Instead, an ugly, opaque, televised spectacle played out. Was Trump/RNC not confident rule change vote would fail? It seemed doomed.

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]

Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro: “CHAOS: Republican Convention Shatters As Trump Lackeys Steamroll Rules Vote.”

CHAOS: Republican Convention Shatters As Trump Lackeys Steamroll Rules Vote https://t.co/UuxuCRReO9 pic.twitter.com/nJWeBBk8JK

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 18, 2016

[Twitter, 7/18/16]